The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-06-09
FORT PILLOW, TENN.
REMINIsCEHCEs OF THE DAYS
THAT TRIED, MEMS SOULS.
The Batteries Built by Memphis
soIdieFs-The Prosecutions After
the Confederate Evacuation.
IoORREsposDEsoE OF rHE APPEAL.l

CORRESPONDENCE OF THE APPEAL.
FoRT PILLOW, Tenn, June 6.-The
river comes in an easterly direction
here, then turns abruptly, forming al
most an acute angle, and runs south.
1t widens like bay in front Of Fort
Pillow. there being eddy water in the
fauare or angle thus formed. After
the Fourth Tennessee. Southern
Guards" and Second Tenr essee came
In 81 and left there were other troops
cons antly coming and going. Well
disciplined water batteries of heavy
guns were kept here In '62, mostly
composed OF men from down the
river, but several companies belonged
to 1t from Upton and Lauderdale
counties. The place bad been strongly
fortified with works all around 1t, and
when Island No. 10 fell 1t was well
prepared to receive the feet OF gun
boais and mortars that came down
Immediately. 1t was capable OF de-
tense against an army OF immense
numbsrs.s Gen. VillePigne held II
for months and the feet bombarded
it necessarily. Shell and shot were
rained upon it continuously. Finally
JEFF Thompson, with fleet of Con-
fedsIate boats under Commodore
Holland, attacked the Federal feet,
and though fighting CALAMITY was sig
nailed TO withdraw. The U. s. troops
afterwards said that JEFF was about
to get the best of them as the commo-
dore signaled him to retire. In '62,
after mach OF the splendid armament
had been cent TO Memphis and Vicks.
burg, 1t was evacuated. Toe United
States troops occupied 1t, and there
was a brisk trade carried on for long
time, it being a point to which the
people came, principally, from West
Tennessee to get all of the supplies
they used, etc. The cotton sold here
made some of the old planters 80 well
off that they lost but little by the
emancipation Of the negroes. A little
town OF business sprang up-every-
thing WAS lovely for long time. Many
union men came and went; and dif'
ferent "crops" Of illiterste, ignorant,
renegade Tennesseeans and negroes
were organized and stationed here.
Some Of them, probably, were sincere,
but their object was mainly to pillage
and plumber the country for miles
around, ard they carried their das-
tardly intentions out in spite Of the
orders Of some Of their COM
manders to the contrary.
Paitisau rangers, or Guefillas, ire.
quently in those times would run in
the picketH, but no one was afraid of
the place being successfully attacked.
The soldiers here were happy, and the
citizens that came and went were hap
py, and some OF the hottest "secesh"
began TO lean TO the Union, to sffiliate
with the commander and his subordi-
rates, and even In some instances, to
claim kin with them. The Confeder.
ate army was away down In Dixie;
raiding parties went out In all direc-
tons and ran the guerillas clear of
sometimes bringing In old citizens "a
prisoners to send up North. Many
an honest old soul died in those
prisons, that were guilty OF nothing
but expressing themselves in favor OF
States rights, or constitutional law.
Similar expressions are now made by
citizens of the Northern States, with
the same convictions. How could the
doctrine Of States rights be denounced
when the power derived was from
them--even the existence OF govern
ment fist created by them; and no
power ever deprived themselves OF
the right to govern their own domes-
tic relations. But your correspondent
did not start out to discuss such ques'
tons, and will not digrees any further.
Up here in Lauderdale the people
are hard at work, hopeful of fine
crop, having some rain and looking to
the future with nothing to fear in re.
gard toIcrops now, except the drouths
that come some years and almost ruin
everything. 1t is not good idea to
count the eggs before they ere Matched.
The country around Fl. Pillow is all
in cultivation; 1t is very billy; and OF
all the hollows on earth there are some
back OF the Fort which are the widest
and deepest perhaps. But as you get
out something over mile the finest
scene is here presented that exists any
where else in West Tennessee,
Stretching about twenty miles 10 the
Hatchie bottom in crescent shape at
your feet, whilet beyond rises the high
hills Of Upton on the right and
LaudeTdsle to the left Your eye is
strained At the magnificent scene in
the distance and one almost imagines
he is over in the Rockies" or "siena
Nevadas" as he looks upon the
beautiful landscape pictures and
sees at the different points in the
circle at II higher clusters of distant
trees and hills that rise above the
green fringe to beautify 1t with their
ind vidual presence. IL Is not so at
trsctive, perhaps, in winter. Tie
main road from here to Ridley runs up
along the river bottom for ten miles,
and bsfore ore reaches the county
seat he will see some not uncommon
bluffs, though the country Is pro-
ductive.
On last Monday night, the 2Si in.
slant, a negro named William Powert
entered the room OF young white
woman, aroused her, and on being
asked who 1t was replied, "This il
Willie" She spraDg up and ran ia
where her father YVES, who, upor
being awakened, jumped out Of bed,
grabbed his gun and pulled down OF
the negro; but 10 and behold, therI
was no cap on the gun, as the negrl
, had slipped the cap of of it. Tn,
negro is now in Jail at Ripley. The
, occurrence took place in District No
4. The overtAxed people now have 4
pay for keeping a scamp in jail VIII
: had rather be there than out at work
Something is wrong in the law abou
these gangs OF negroes accumulatinI
in the jails.
There has been some fighting beloN
here on the river between some ne
groes, Several were killed; the de
tails have reached you.
1t is raining here today, and tn
' claps Of thunder and lightning, wit
the distant mutterings OF the dyin
=, echoss upon the hosom of the might